Places with a story
Beiarn bygdetun
Beiarn bygdetun occupies the former rectory at Dokmo, where parish life was closely connected with farming. Its buildings and collections explore everyday work, local traditions and the family households that once lived beside the river.
The place1
The museum has twelve buildings from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, including the rectory built in 1857. The main house and some outbuildings belong to the original site; other buildings were moved here. This mixture creates a wider picture of Beiarn’s rural building traditions while retaining the historical rectory as its centre.
History and local connections1
Beiarn became a separate parish in 1853, and the priest’s income included farming. The site near a river crossing suited its role in the valley. Fourteen priest families lived at the rectory over time. The museum opened in 1988, giving the former home a new purpose after its period as a residence.
What to look for1
Collections grew from local initiatives, including Gustav Moldjord’s collecting work. The exhibition ‘Once upon a time’ presents traditions through music, crafts and storytelling. Individual objects range from a nineteenth-century psalmodikon to a 1930 A-Ford associated with Rønnåbakk, showing the museum’s interest in both older domestic culture and later everyday technology.
Planning a visit1
The museum is located in Dokmo. Contact Nordland Museum for current seasonal openings and arranged visits. Some exhibition rooms and the toilet are upstairs, and there is no lift. Ask staff which buildings and rooms are accessible for your needs. The old vicarage and the relocated buildings have different origins, worth exploring with a guide.
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